‘Non-escalation policy with India’

Pakistan will stick to a policy of non-escalation with India in the wake of increased tensions over a string of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said.

Pakistan will stick to a policy of non-escalation with India in the wake of increased tensions over a string of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said.

In the face of a call from leader of opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan for a “befitting” response to “propaganda from the Indian government” over the ceasefire violations, Khar reiterated her government’s “commitment not to escalate the situation.”

Pakistan is striving to normalise the situation and the government was not “delusional” about the challenges to the country’s sovereignty, she told the National Assembly or lower house of Parliament late on Monday night.

The Pakistan government had resorted to available mechanisms to address the ceasefire violations on the Line of Control, she said.

“Pakistan acted responsibly. We suggested engaging the UN Military Observers Group (for India and Pakistan) for a third party probe,” Khar told the House in a policy statement on the situation on the Line of Control.

Recent incidents on the Line of Control marked the worst violations of the truce put in place in late 2003. Two Indian soldiers were killed while Pakistan claimed three of its soldiers died.

Khar claimed that India had “provoked the situation” but Pakistan showed a responsible attitude.